The Long Way Home
by Danielle Shepherd
Summary: She let his voice fade away like the elusive dream you try to catch when you wake up. After all she was going back to Molly and that was all that mattered wasn’t it? 2/3 chapter long Galex fic. Rated T to be safe. Complete
1. Chapter 1

**This is my first ever Ashes to Ashes fanfic. It originally started out as a longer fanfic that I couldn't get quite right so I edited it together with the planned ending to create a 2 maybe 3 chapter fanfic instead.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything to do with this show. It all belongs to the BBC, Kudos, Monastic and anyone else involved with this show. I wish I did own it though.**

* * *

The Long Way Home 

Chapter One

March 1983

It had been four months since the Gold Bullion heist that had been Operation Rose. Four months since she'd been shot by Gene - albeit accidentally - and woken up in some twisted, dystopian 2008 where she'd learned that she was in a coma in both 1982 and the real present day. When she'd woken up in 1982, she'd been interviewed by DI Hamilton and DS Frost from Scotland Yard as the Commissioner of the Met didn't want the case conducted by officers from Fenchurch East or it's surrounding police stations. It had been an emotional experience for Alex, one that she still remembered four months later. Both of the detectives had been reluctant to believe her account of what had actually happened that day. But she'd stuck to her story that Gene hadn't meant to shoot her. Eventually, they had no choice but to release Gene and drop the charges against him. However, out of all the questions that they had asked her only one had thrown her…

"_What exactly is the nature of your relationship with Mr Hunt?"_

"_We're colleagues, nothing more." she replied._

It wasn't exactly a lie, but Alex wasn't so sure about the "nothing more" part of her answer.

Once she had cleared Gene's name, things gradually began to get back to normal at Fenchurch East police station. Well as normal as things could be when the DCI had shot his DI and they now had a strained relationship where they only spoke to each other when they needed to. In the end, it had been Alex who had offered the olive branch by buying him a drink in Luigi's a week after she'd returned to work. Now four months later, their relationship later, their relationship was back to it's usual flirting and fighting over policing methods best. It had been this fiery relationship that had helped them catch (in Gene's words) the sick bastard who had raped and murdered 13 year old Rosalie Smith. It had been her step dad Matthew Smith who had worked for Special Branch and was also a man who Gene had hated right from their days at Hendon and their rivalry had long since extended into their policing careers. Now Matthew was looking at a lifetime of solitude in one of her Majesty's many prisons, a fact Gene had enjoyed lording over him.

After cracking a case this big, they would normally be having a major piss up in Luigi's as a way of celebrating. But tonight all the team had other plans: Ray had a hot date with a nurse he'd met at the Hospital, Chris and Shaz had gone out with Shaz's parents to go over the finer points of their upcoming nuptials while the others had gone out for a curry. The only two left in CID were Gene and Alex. Gene was on the phone to the Super while Alex was making sure everything was in the case file so that it would water tight when it got to court. She knew from past experiences in 2008 that even the smallest missed detail could lead to proceedings not going the way they should. She was so engrossed in her work that Gene had to cough pointedly to get her attention.

"Come on Bolls. A bottle of Luigi's house rubbish awaits us."

* * *

They walked over to Luigi's in companionable silence which suited Alex just fine. She was trying to sort through the many thoughts racing through her mind. The messages from the future were getting stronger and more frequent. So she had come to the conclusion that she would be going home any day now, it was just a matter of time. She couldn't decide if she was pleased about this or not. On one hand she would be seeing Molly again but on the other hand she was apprehensive about leaving Gene. She'd always assumed that nothing would ever happen between them. That neither of them would cross that line between colleagues/friends and more than that. But then they had shared an unexpected kiss a few weeks back, even though nothing had come of it they seemed to be closer as a result. It was then in a single moment of clarity that she decided she would not leave here without knowing where she stood with him. As they approached Luigi's, she knew if she stood any chance at all, she'd have to do it now before too much alcohol had been consumed.

"Gene."

"What is it? I'm wasting valuable drinking time."

"What did you think of me, when I first joined your team?"

"Now is not the time for testing out your psychiatry bollocks."

"It's psychology and just answer my question."

"I thought you'd be a right pain in the arse and all holier-than-thou. I was bloody right an' all."

Alex smiled remembering her first few months in 1980's London. "And what do you think of me now?"

"You're still a pain in the arse and you still have many holier-than-thou moments but…you know…you're a good copper and I might have underestimated yeh." he replied.

That made things as clear as ditchwater for Alex, so she settled for the direct approach and took a step closer to him. "Stay with me tonight."

"Kip on your sofa?"

"No, I mean _stay _with me tonight." she replied. As she watched the look of dawning realisation creep onto his face she knew that it was now or never and placed a light kiss thick with intent on his lips. When she pulled away and looked at him, she couldn't read his expression. Fearing she'd made a mistake she turned and headed in the direction of her flat.

"Alex?"

She turned around at the sound of her name which he rarely used. "What?"

"Do you…well you know… really want me to…stay that is?"

"Yes, I do." she replied closing the distance them once more and kissed him again. This time he responded with an ill disguised passion. When they broke apart due to the need for air, she placed her hand in his and led him towards her flat.

* * *

The next morning, Alex awoke alone in her bed with the hazy sunlight streaming through the curtains. She looked at the clock and saw that it was half past 8. She also noticed a piece of paper folded up leaning against it. She sat up, picked up the note and read it.

_Bolls,_

_Gone home to shave and change. Couldn't wake you._

_See you later._

She banged her head against the headboard. The letter didn't make it clear to her where she stood with him after last night. She got up, pulled on her dressing gown and headed towards the shower.

As she let the water cascade down her back, she tried to get her thoughts in order. She had thought that last night would help her understand her feelings for him, but she was still no nearer to figuring out how she felt.

"Oh who am I kidding?" she said out loud to no one in particular. "I love him, I just can't give him my whole heart with Molly waiting for me."

When the water had turned from warm to tepid, she stepped out and wrapped a towel around herself. It was then that she decided what she was going to do. She would make the most of whatever time she had left in this place. It would no doubt break her heart when she did eventually leave but Molly needed her. She remember what it was like growing without a mum and she couldn't do that to Molly. She would always remember Gene and the team but regardless her daughter needed her and that was more important to her.

******************************************

When she arrived over the road, the rest of then team were already in.

"Morning Ma'am," Shaz said as she passed Alex in the doorway to CID.

"Morning Shaz." she replied. She put her jacket on her desk and headed to the kitchen area. "Morning boys." she said as she walked past Chris and Ray.

Morning Boss…uh… Ma'am." Chris said "You alright?"

"Fine thanks Chris."

"Poof" Ray muttered before continuing his story about his date the previous night.

As Alex walked into the kitchen, she saw that Gene was in there making himself a drink. She avoided catching his eye, afraid of what she might see there.

"Decided to grace us with your presence this morning?"

"Yes, despite actually wanting to stay in bed all day. I didn't think it would be appropriate." she replied keeping her back to him.

This behaviour was making Gene extremely confused. He thought that she felt the same as he did but at this precise moment in time, he couldn't be sure. However, if he could read her mind he would see that she was just as confused as he was. For him last night had been dreaming about for ages. When he'd woken up this morning and saw her lying next to him appearing peaceful and free from the worries that she seemed to carry around all day long, he hadn't wanted to wake her incase it had all been a dream. Well that and he didn't want her to open her eyes and see regret there. He now needed to know where he stood with her so that he wouldn't spend the next few hours making an idiot of himself.

"Listen, Bolls," he began trying to keep his tone light and casual. "About last night."

"What about it?"

But before he could ask her anything, Shaz came running in.

"Ma'am, Guv." she said trying to catch her breath. "A man's just stormed into reception waving a gun about saying that you wrongly arrested his brother George Walsh for murder last month."

"Alright," Alex said snapping into professional "Do they know the situation?" she asked waving in the direction of CID.

"Yes Ma'am, they're waiting for you and the Guv."

"Then why are we standing gossiping like old ladies." he said loading up his gun. "We'll talk later," he added in an undertone leaving the kitchen. "Right Ray, Chris, McDonald and Butler go down the fire escape and go through the back entrance and get 'im from behind. Me, Drake and the rest of you will take 'im on from the front."

* * *

As they approached the reception area, they knelt down behind the double doors and looked through the glass partitions in them.

"Right here's how we handle this." Alex said "I'll try to reason with him, keep him talking, maybe get him to lower his gun. Hopefully by which time the others will be behind him. That way no-one will get hurt and then providing nothing else comes up, we go to Luigi's and have the celebration we should've had last night."

"Sounds like a plan Bolly." Gene replied "It's missing one thing though."

"What?"

"I'm going to shoot the bastard."

"No you are not."

"Yes I bloody am. I am not having you risk your life while I'm sat here like some big jessie."

"Fine." she said standing up and opening the doors with Gene right behind her.

"Ah, Hunt," Walsh said "I was wondering when you would show up. You see you're the reason I'm here. It's because of you my brother is rotting in a jail cell for a murder he didn't commit."

"You carry on waving that gun about and you'll be joining him." he said ignoring the 'you-are-not-helping-matters' look that Alex shot him.

"Is that a threat?"

"No it's the truth. If you shoot and kill anyone in this room, then you're looking at life." Alex replied "Maybe if you put the gun down we can talk a…"

"I just want my brother released."

"We can't do that," Alex said noting that the others with Chris and Ray at the front were nearly behind him. "He confessed to the murder, all the evidence pointed to him."

"Evidence planted by you Hunt."

"I can assure you that DCI Hunt did nothing of the sort. Now just put t…" but the rest of Alex's sentence was drowned out by a loud gunshot and the screams of the civilians in the reception area. Gene launched himself at the gunman and wrestled the gun away from him, while Chris and Ray grabbed him from behind.

"Oh God," Chris said looking over Gene's shoulder

"Shit," Ray added seeing what Chris had seen. "Viv call an ambulance."

It was then that Gene turned and saw what Chris and Ray had seen a few seconds earlier. There was Alex led on the floor struggling to breath with blood seeping through and staining the white shirt she had on. He knelt down beside her, ripped open her shirt, pulled off his tie and used it to try and stop the bleeding.

"Gene …I…" she began looking straight into his eyes, her voice sounding small, fragile and far away.

"No," he said "Don't you dare start saying your goodbyes."

"Don't…don't…forget…me." she managed to gasp out. "Come on Alex, stay with me." he pleaded as she shut her eyes.

As she felt the white engulf her she realised that this was it. She was finally going home properly. She could hear Gene calling to her, telling her not to die . She let his voice fade away like the elusive dream you try to catch when you wake up. After all she was going back to Molly and that was all that mattered wasn't it?

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**All reviews and constructive criticism welcome.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Firstly I would like to say thank you to the people who have reviewed and/or added this to their story alerts. It's good to know that people liked it. **

**Secondly this was orginally going to be the final chapter but the first half seemed to be much better suited to a chapter of it's own.**

**Thirdly I don't own anything to do with this show. If I did, maybe series 2 wouldn't have ended the way it did.**

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Chapter Two

Falling. That's what this felt like. Falling. Falling through a pitch black void of nothingness. She couldn't see anything, couldn't feel anything. Well that wasn't strictly true, she could feel a deep sense of loss and a pain in her chest which she supposed was her heart breaking in two and one half being left with Gene in the 1980's. Even if she wanted to go back she couldn't. She'd passed the point of no return. Her senses were getting stronger she knew she was within mere moments of seeing Molly again. It was in these few moments (which she supposed was the brief time between leaving the past and waking up in the present) that she decided to do all she could to try and stop the physical pain of heartbreak becoming too great for her to handle. The area surrounding her began to get lighter, she felt something underneath her which she supposed was her hospital bed. She began to hear voices, quiet at first but gradually getting louder.

"Do you think she'll ever wake up?" a little voice said _'__Oh God that__'__s Molly.__'_

"Of course she will scrap." a male voice replied. _'__And that__'__s Evan. He__'__s looking after Molly just like he looked after me when I was younger.__'_

Alex felt a small hand take hold of hers and she knew instantly that it belonged to Molly. She spent a few moments reacquainting herself with the touch of Molly's hand and the sense of having her daughter near her once again. Then slowly but surely she began to open her eyes. At first the room seemed to be really bright but after a moment her eyes adjusted to the light. She looked around the room and saw Evan stand up from his chair. She didn't get a chance to see much else of the room she was in as she was attacked by a mousy-haired girl throwing her arms around her, sobbing uncontrollably and babbling at about a hundred words a minute. She was suddenly aware of an incessant beeping.

"Come on Mols, give your mum a chance to breathe." Evan said gently coaxing Molly away from Alex.

"What is it Mr White?" a voice from the doorway said. Alex looked over and saw a nurse stood in the doorway and realised that the beeping she could hear was Evan pressing the call button for the nurse.

"She's awake."

"Oh that's wonderful news," she replied. "I'll just check her vitals and then I'll go page Mr Gerrard."

* * *

Five minutes later, Alex was alone in the hospital room with Molly and Evan.

"Oh mum, I was so worried about you. I thought you'd never wake up."

"Oh Mols, come here." she said holding her arms out to Molly. "I would never leave you." the unspoken 'unless I had no choice in the matter' hung in the air between them. "I love you Mols."

"I love you too mummy."

"You know, you gave us all a fright, Alex." Evan said from the chair beside her bed. "It was just like the time you went missing when you were 10."

"I don't remember that." she replied

"Yes, well a few weeks later you fell off the monkey bars and banged your head, lost your memory."

Alex looked at Evan and could tell that there was more to the story than met the eye but she was used to some of his evasions by now. However she couldn't tell Evan she knew he was lying as that would mean telling him everything. She knew that if she told him that she'd met him and her parents in the 1980's, knew about his affair with her mum, knew that her dad had killed himself and her mum aswell as attempting to kill her eight year old self and knew that the evidence had been destroyed he would think she was crazy. She was brought out of her musings by another person entering the room.

"Ah Alex, you're finally awake. I must admit we wondered if you would ever wake up."

"What do you mean wondered if I would ever wake up?"

"Mr White, could you take Molly to go and get a drink or something to eat?"

Alex watched as Evan led Molly out of the room and shared a silent look with the doctor before turning her gaze to Mr Gerrard. "Well?"

"After we removed the bullet from your frontal lobe we thought it would be a matter of time before you woke up." he replied. Alex sighed she already knew all of this. "However, you developed an infection. One which we thought 50 millilitres of a super antibiotic would be enough to combat it. Instead it sent you into a deeper coma one from which we were unsure you would wake up from. When we checked you yesterday we discovered that the infection had spread. I'm afraid it is only a matter of time before it spreads to your heart and lungs."

"Is there anything you can do?"

"Well there is something we could give you, but it would only give you a mere matter of days."

"So how long before it's all over then?"

"It's difficult for us to say but I don't think it will be more than a week. Two at most." he replied. "The best thing we could do for you is to let you say your goodbyes, then we will induce a coma, put you on life support until your heat gives out. That way it's peaceful and pain free. It will be like you just fell asleep."

Alex looked away from him and turned towards the window. She could feel the tears welling up and stinging her eyes. She'd spent nigh on two years in 1980's London trying to get back to Molly and now she had been reunited with her daughter only for the reunion to be cut short. If she had had any idea, any inclination that this is what it would be like when she returned. That she would only have a matter of days left to live she would have stayed with Gene and not fought so hard to get back. If she hadn't fought so hard to get back she wondered how different her life could have been in the 1980's. Maybe it wouldn't have been just Chris and Shaz who were planning a wedding. She stifled a laugh at the absurd image that appeared in her head and shook it out. As if Gene Hunt would get married again. On the other hand if she died in the present day just like Sam had then maybe she would get the chance to live a life with Gene in 1983. She blinked back the tears that had threatened to fall and turned back to face Gerrard.

"Okay," she replied. "Give me a few hours."

* * *

"Oh Mols, I am so sorry, I'm not going to be around to see you grow up into the beautiful young lady I know you'll be." she said through her tears.

"I know mum, I know you wouldn't leave me unless you had no choice." Molly replied also crying. Alex stole a look at Evan who was trying to remain stoic but she could see tears forming.

"Can you promise one thing Mols?"

"Anything."

"Have a great life, and don't remember me like this hooked up to wires. Remember me before it all happened okay. Remember all the great times we had and know that wherever I am I will be looking out for you okay." she said

"I'll make you proud of me mum." Molly replied hugging her mum for the last time. When they broke apart Alex turned to look at Evan.

"Evan can you promise me something?"

"Sure." he replied trying to keep his voice strong.

"Look after Molly, you may not be a parent but you're the closest thing she's got. Also at least try to get Pete to show some responsibility." she replied hugging him aswell before looking at Gerrard. "Okay, I'm ready."

She took one last look around the room. It would be her last chance to see 2008. She managed to stop the tears before closing her eyes for the last time. The last image she saw in 2008 was that of her Molly suddenly looking older than her twelve years. The parallels between her as an eight year old girl and Molly at age twelve were suddenly very clear to Alex. As they shut she heard Evan speak a variation of the words she'd last heard him say 27 years ago in Fenchurch East CID after her parents had just been blown up. It was then she knew that no matter where she was, Molly would always be looked after.

"It's just you and me now Molly, forever and ever."

* * *

Once again she was falling through the pitch black void of nothingness. Suddenly she hit the ground with a large thump.

"I thought the after life was supposed to be painless." she said aloud to no one in particular.

Then she saw it. Faint at first but gradually getting brighter. She stood up and walked towards it. In front of her she saw two tunnels of white light. At the end of the tunnel on her left she saw herself lying on the ground with Gene and Shaz knelt down beside her and at the end of the tunnel on her right she saw her mother beckoning to her which she knew must lead to death in both 2008 and 1983. In between them was a face she hadn't seen for a long time. The clown. The clown that was also her father Tim Price.

"Make your choice Alex," he said "Life or death." he added indicating the tunnels in turn.

Alex took a deep breath and knew the choice that she had to make would be tough for some. Fortunately for her it was an easy choice to make.

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**Just one chapter left folks. Hope you liked it.**

**As usual all reviews and constructive criticism welcome.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Here it is the final chapter. A huge thanks to everyone who has read, reviewed, added this to their story alerts this fic. I hope you like it.**

**I don't own Ashes to Ashes or the one line from The Sound of Music which belongs to whoever wrote the screenplay.**

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Chapter Three

_As soon as heard the gunshot he leapt forward and wrestled the gun away from him while Chris and Ray grabbed him from behind._

"_Oh God,__"__ Chris said looking over Gene__'__s shoulder_

"_Shit,__"__ Ray added seeing what Chris had seen. __"__Viv call an ambulance.__"_

_It was at this comment that he turned around and saw a sight that relocated his heart into his throat and made it hard for him breathe. Alex led on the floor, struggling to breathe with blood seeping through and staining her white shirt. He knelt down beside her, ripped open her shirt, pulled off his tie and used it to try and stop the bleeding._

"_Gene__…__I__…"__ she began looking straight into his eyes, her voice sounding small, fragile and far away._

"_No,__"__ he said __"__Don__'__t you dare start saying your goodbyes.__"_

_"__Don__'__t__…__don__'__t__…__forget__…__ me.__"__ she managed to gasp out._

"_Come on Alex, stay with me.__"__he pleaded as she shut her eyes. He couldn__'__t be sure but he thought he saw a tear roll down her cheek. Not caring if anyone was watching, not caring who saw, he placed a light kiss on her cheek. He saw Shaz kneel down beside him. She removed his hand and tie and replaced them with a cloth and her own hand, leaving him free to try and bring her back._

_After a few minutes, she still wasn__'__t responding, he could hear the ambulance sirens getting nearer to the station. _

"_Come on Bolls, come on.__"__ he said through gritted teeth. _

_Out of the corner of his eye he saw Shaz look up at Chris and Ray who were still restraining Walsh and knew what the silent look that passed between them meant._

"_Come on Guv, leave it. She__'__s gone.__"__ Ray said breaking through his concentration._

"_When I want your opinion Raymondo, I will ask for it. I will not__…__I can not lose another DI.__"_

"_I think Ray__'__s right Guv,__"__ Chris said backing up his friend._

"_She didn__'__t give up on Shaz when that bastard Hollis stabbed her, Christopher, so I__'__m not giving up on her now.__"__ he replied. He knew it was slightly below the belt but he knew it would stop them trying to get him to give up. He placed two fingers on her neck to check her pulse, like he__'__d seen her do before. He could feel a pulse, it was faint, but it was there. She was slowly coming back to him. He resumed CPR and then a few moments later it happened. He heard her gasp and her eyes opened. She__'__d come back to him. He felt a hand on his shoulder and turned around to see a paramedic stood behind him._

"_You took your bloody time, I could__'__ve carried her to the hospital in the time it took you southern nancies to get here.__"_

_*******************************************_

In moments of solitude, Gene would often think back to what he deemed to be the worst hour of his life. The hour in question was when Danny Walsh had marched into his kingdom and shot her. _His _Alex. _'__Christ where the bloody hell did that come from__'_he thought to himself. She wasn't _his _anything. Maybe she would've been if he'd the balls to do anything about it before it had nearly been too late.

The image of Alex led on the floor struggling to breathe never once left him and haunted his every dream. Every time he shut his eyes he would see it all play out once again in front of him. As he once again tried to shake the image out of his head a voice from the hospital bed pushed it out without a second thought.

"You're far away, where are you?"

"Right here, yeh daft cow." he replied

"I didn't mean it like that…oh never mind." Alex said with a sigh knowing that she'd never get him to reveal his innermost thoughts. "You know I never did thank you."

"Eh?"

"The doctor's say that by using your tie to stop the bleeding from the bullet wound you probably saved my life." she replied "You seem to do that a lot saving my life." she added in a reflective tone.

"Yeah well, I can't lose a DI. It's bad for morale." he replied "Plus it takes ages to find a new one that the team respect."

"Of course it is," Alex replied with a slight smile. She knew he was editing the truth but she was smart enough to leave it alone.

It was while before either of them spoke again. Both lost in thoughts about the other but neither brave enough to make the first move to talk. Eventually Gene decided to bite the bullet.

"Bolls,"

"Hmm," she replied turning to face him

"You know, before…uh."

"Before I got shot." she prompted

"Yeah that," he replied "We were talking weren't we."

"I think that's what they call it these days."

"Well we never did finish that talk did we?"

"No, I don't think we did," she replied thinking back to several days ago. "So what were you going to say?"

"That night when you asked me to stay with you. Did yeh mean it or…"

"I meant it," she replied cutting him, looking into his eyes and covering his hand with hers. He averted his gaze before continuing.

"So you really did want me?"

"Of course I did," she replied. He looked back at her not quite believing what he was hearing. "If I'm honest I think I always have." she added smiling at him. He smiled back his confidence growing now that he knew how she felt.

"So do you want to do it properly?"

"What?"

"You. Me. Us. A couple like."

"Okay then." she replied as he placed a kiss on her hand.

"Don't go expecting me to do any of that mushy love bollocks." he said warningly.

"I wouldn't expect you too."

"It won't be perfect."

"Perfect is overrated."

"We'll fight a lot."

"That's the way it's always been." she replied with a smile "Right since day one 'Gene,'" she added putting his name in air quotes.

"I told you not to do that," he growled but the smile in his eyes gave him away. "The making up will be fun though."

"Yeah it will."

"Good," he said "So when do you get out of here?"

"Tomorrow hopefully."

"Then it's settled."

"What is?"

"Dinner. Just me and you. After we've swung by Luigi's first."

"Okay then," she replied "Now are you going to kiss me or not?" he laughed before leaning down to kiss her. As their lips met, Alex felt like the whole world had stopped and it was just her and Gene in this moment forever…until they were interrupted.

"I told you so!" they heard Ray exclaim. "That's a tenner you owe me."

Gene and Alex looked up to see Chris handing Ray ten quid and Shaz grinning from ear to ear.

"Looks like Ray's buying the drinks tomorrow."

"Guv!" Ray protested. Alex laughed and shook her head. How could she ever have doubted that this was real. It had been a long journey but worth it. She'd had to go back to the future to realise just how much she loved her life in 1983. She'd fought so much to go home when infact she'd been there all along. She'd also gotten the chance to say goodbye to Molly something she'd never thought she'd have a chance to do and make sure she would be looked after. She could finally live a life here with Gene without feeling guilty for leaving Molly alone. After almost two years of fighting she was finally back home.

* * *

**So there you have it. Alex and Gene get to be together forever. There will most likely be a sequel but if I can get the many ideas buzzing around my head to form one single coherent story.**

**All reviews welcome.**


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